Sunday, 15 February 2015

232. Seetha declined Hanumans offer.

Seetha whose face now resembled the full moon after hearing the comforting words of Hanuman, told him "O Hanuman! Your info about Rama that he is not having any thoughtsother other than about me and is fully overwhelmed by sorrow are like ambrosia mixed with poison. Destiny drags out a man into a very extensive fortune or into a very dreadful adversity, as if being dragged, tied with ropes. "O Hanuman, For living beings, destiny is surely irresistible. See how Lakshmana, Ramaandmyself are baffled by misfortunes. Rama's endeavor to reach the end of this grief seems to be like a thoroughly fatigued man, having suffered a ship wreck is swimming in the middle of the sea. When will my husband see me, after annihilating all the rakshasas including Ravana?

"O Hanuman! Ravana gave me an ultimatum of one year, the tenth month is now running. Only two months are left out. Despite the sensible advice of Vibhishana, his brother about my restoration (to Rama), Ravana is not inclined to do so. My restoration is not agreeable to Ravana.

"O Hanuman! Nala, the eldest maiden daughter of Vibhishana, when she was sent personally to me by her mother, told me about this. However, I am sure Rama, my husband, will soon regain me.

"O Hanuman! Rama has the qualities of perseverence, manliness, courage, non-mischievousness, gratitude, prowess and energy. I know well the energy of Rama, as Sachi, the wife of Indra knows the energy of Indra, the Lord of celestials.

"O Hanuman! I presume that you know very well that Rama is as powerful as the sun."Hanuman was completely moved to see Seetha utterly immersed in grief for Rama. He wanted to relieve her agony or at least lesson it. He told her "Soon after hearing my words, Rama, with least possible delay will come with a great army of a multitude of vanarass and bears.

"O Seetha with a charming face! I have an immediate solution to end your grief! Ascend my back. I shall take you to Rama by crossing the ocean. I have indeed the capability to carry even Lanka together with Ravana.

"O Seetha! Now itself, you can see Rama together with Lakshmana. You can see them getting ready for a battle to the annihilation of the rakshasas. The mighty Rama, with a gusto to see you, is staying in a hermitage. Do not have any inhibition for riding on my back. You know that Indra himself rides on the back of Airavata the elephant.

"O Seetha the auspicious princess! Mount on my back. Do not have any hesitation. Be inclined of joining Rama like Rohini, moon's favourite wife, joined the moon. You ascend my back and cross the ocean by journeying through the sky, as though speaking to the greatly resplendent sun and to the moon. O Seetha! While I am taking you from here, no body staying in Lanka is competent to come along to get me.

"O Seetha! In what manner I reached here, in the same manner, I shall move through the sky, taking you along with me."

Seetha was quite surprised to hear Hanuman. She was, however very much pleased to hear it. She replied "O Hanuman! How can you carry me for such a long distance? I consider this as your apishness. O Hanuman! With such a small seized body, how can you take me from here to the presence of my husband, Rama?"

The illustrious Hanuman, the son of Vayu took that question as an affront. He thought "The black-eyed Seetha is not aware of my strength or power. Now I will let her see the form I can assume at will." He then started to increase the size of his body.

Hanuman, in his bloated form looked like Meru and Mandara mountains, shining brightly like a blazing fire. He then addressed Seetha "O Princess! Look at me now. I have the capability to carry this Lanka along with its hills, forest-areas, market-places, defensive walls and arches together with its Lord Ravana himself. O princess! For this reason, leave your ˈskepticism and keep your mind steady. Come along with me and make Rama and Lakshmana shed their grief."

Seetha, with her large eyes resembling lotus-petals, told that terrific Hanuman, the son of Vayu "O Hanuman! I know fully well your courage, strength, your power of movement like that of wind and your wonderful brilliance like that of fire.

"How can any other common person cross this unfathomable ocean and reach this place? I know your capacity of carrying and taking me from here. However it will not be befitting of me to go with you. That apart, there are many practical reasons. For a start, your speed like that of wind, may bewilder my mind. Reaching the sky high above the sea, I may fall down out of fear from your back. Having fallen insensible into the sea, which is filled with sharks, crocodiles and giant fish, I may become the best food soon for the aquatic creatures.

"O Hanuman! It is not possible for me to go with you. You will have the additional responsibility of protecting me.

"Those valiant rakshashas sent by Ravana to get you and me, will surround you wielding darts and clubs in their hands. Accompanied by a lady in me, you will be very much handicapped. Many rakshasas will come with their weapons, in the sky. You will be alone without any weapon. How can you continue your travel, while protecting me? "While you ward off those cruel rakshashas, I, stricken with fear, may fall down from your back. O valiant vanara! Then the powerful and terrific rakshasas with their giant bodies may conquer you in battle, somehow or other. I dare not think what they may do with me.

"In case you fight with them forgetting me, I may eventually fall down. Then, the wicked rakshashas, catching hold of me, may take me again to Lanka. Or they may take me away from your hand, or may even kill me. In battle, victory and defeat are not predictable.

"Or while I am frightened by the rakshasas, I may get into a mishap. Thus, your effort will become futile. You may be surely able to kill all the rakshasas. But if you alone kill all them, Rama's celebrity will be lowered.

"Otherwise, the rakshasas may take me away and hide me in some secret place that will not be known to any of Ravana's adversaries. Then your effort taken for my sake will become futile. That is why I desire Rama's coming here along with you.

"O Hanuman, The survival of Rama, his brothers, yourself and your royal family (of Sugreeva) lies on my rescue without any inadvertence. Else those two men Rama and Lakshmana who are emaciated by grief and anguish along with all the bears and vanaras will abandon their lives.

"O Hanuman! Honouring the devotion to my husband, I cannot touch the body of any male (human, deva, etc.) other than Rama. That I got, by force, the touch of Ravana's body, was because being helpless, having lost control of myself and without a protector, I could not do anything. The appropriate course is Rama kills Ravana here along with his relatives and departs taking me from here.

"I have not only heard but seen myself about the strength of Rama destroying enemies in battle. Neither the celestials nor the divine musicians nor the serpent-gods nor the demons are equal to Rama in combat. Who can withstand in battle that mighty Rama, dazzling like fire fanned by wind, wielding his conspicuous bow and having prowess equal to that of Indra the Lord of celestials, together with Lakshmana?

"In battle, who can endure Rama resembling the sun at noon-time, with his arrows resembling its rays, the destroyer in battle, stationed like a mythical elephant in rut, along with Lakshmana? You, as such, soon bring my husband here along with Lakshmana, and the chiefs of army with their armies. I am emaciated with grief about Rama since long. Make me now joyful."